European countries are ready to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, as they themselves will switch to more modern F-35s. This was stated by the former director of the Lockheed Martin F-35 program, Tom Burbage.
“As powerful militaries around the world are moving to the F-35, ‘F-16s are freed up’ for an air force like Ukraine,” Burbage was quoted as saying. Newsweek. According to the ex-director, Western countries did not dare to buy fifth-generation fighters until 2022, but after the start of the special operation, they gradually began to switch to the F-35.
Earlier, John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator at the US National Security Council, said that deliveries of fighters F-16s to Ukraine could start before the end of 2023. At the same time, he noted that the arrival of fighters would not be able to change the course of the special operation. Nevertheless, the assistant to the American leader for national security, Jake Sullivan, noted on forumthat the training of Ukrainian pilots to pilot these fighters will start in the coming weeks.
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2023-07-21 20:14:00
